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Cascades Volcano Observatory weekly update

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CASCADES VOLCANO OBSERVATORY UPDATE

Friday, August 24, 2012 11:23 AM PDT

CASCADE RANGE VOLCANOES

Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL

Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN

Volcano Activity Update:

All volcanoes in the Cascade Range of Oregon and Washington are at normal levels of background seismicity. These include Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams in Washington State; and Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, Three Sisters, Newberry Volcano, and Crater Lake, in Oregon.

Volcano Recent Observations:

Seismicity in the Cascade Range remains at background levels. Among the field activities this week: field crews performed station maintenance and cleanup, spring sampling and drainage surveys.
A short-lived swarm of small earthquakes (maximum magnitude 1.8) occurred 1-2 km south of Mount Hood on August 18, 2012. The swarm featured 15 locatable events occurring between 1000-2130 PDT, with depths ranging from 3-6 km below the summit. Such small swarms are not uncommon at Hood, and are considered by CVO and the PNSN to be part of the background "normal" level of activity at Hood.
The U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory and the University of Washington continue to monitor the Washington and Oregon volcanoes closely and will issue additional updates and changes in alert level as warranted.
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